美國軟體專利適格性自Benson案起，經歷一連串判決的作出，到Bilski案之前呈現逐步放寬的趨勢。然而隨著軟體專利獲證數量的大幅度成長，專利濫發與濫訴的現象也日益嚴重。這樣的現象使得最高法院不得不一改以往鮮少介入專利相關判決的態度，開始透過判決的作成影響過去過於鬆散的專利審查作業。最高法院自Bilksi案開始，陸續作出一系列以專利法第101條適格性要件核駁系爭專利的判決，使得專利適格性的審查，走向越趨嚴格的方向。由於專利適格性要件在專利審查實務作業當中長期被忽略，近幾年最高法院對這項似乎被人遺忘的專利檢驗要件，透過判決的不斷強調也引起各界廣大的討論。 我國於美國的專利獲證數量排名全球第四，對於軟體專利適格性審查之發展潛勢自然相當重視。由是，本論文將蒐集歷年之重要軟體專利判決、專利適格性審查指南且將之進行整理。在參考相關國內外文獻後，提出本論文對軟體專利適格性審查趨勢之觀察，並為我國企業在面臨專利適格性審查趨於嚴格的情況下，提出幾個專利申請，或面臨專利侵權訴訟時可行的因應之道。 ;In America, software related product or process was once an unpatentable subject matter. While with the advancement of technology, this kind of rule has started to change. From Benson to Bilski, the total granted number of software patents has increased dramatically. And this also make existing problems like vexatious litigation become even worse. In view of that, the U.S. Supreme Court has made a series of software related cases to adjust the loose patent eligibility examination toward a relatively strict way. The importance of patent eligibility has long been overlooked in patent examining procedure or in patent litigations before Bilski. With recent supreme court cases, this patent threshold test has aroused the concern of the whole nation. According to the statistics from the USPTO, about the performance of the total number of patents granted in America (breakout by country of origin), Taiwan is on top 5. As a consequence, recent changes of patent examination may cause a great impact to Taiwanese companies. As a result, this thesis tries to give a point of view about the trend and development of patent eligibility after studying related cases, series of software patent examination guidelines and literatures. Moreover, this thesis will provide several suggestions for Taiwanese companies, hoping to support them as a reference when confronting strict software patent examining trend nowadays.
